Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ensenada Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ensenada

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,032 in Ensenada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,598 in Ensenada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,164 in Ensenada.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 2% less than in Ensenada, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Ensenada 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.97 MX$188

-45.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$31.15 MX$535

7.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.32 MX$126

-1.23%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.00 MX$51.6

-45.67%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.14 MX$19.62

-4.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.70 MX$12.07

4.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.67 MX$45.81

-34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.93 MX$67.5

-17.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.66 MX$28.42

-36.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.48 MX$42.51

-47.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.70 MX$29.16

-22.35%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.75 MX$47.23

-17.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.31 MX$125

-40.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.03 MX$86.4

16.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.62 MX$165

-10.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.94 MX$33.29

15.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.52 MX$26.01

-29.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.63 MX$27.99

-6.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.56 MX$26.82

-8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.68 MX$28.79

-30.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.80 MX$30.85

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.05 MX$18.01

-15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.02 MX$17.45

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.88 MX$66.5

-42.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.69 MX$149

27.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.47 MX$25.27

-22.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.34 MX$40.14

1.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.78 MX$13.37

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.14 MX$36.75

-34.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.61 MX$27.64

18.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.26 MX$55.9

137.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.27 MX$21.83

-20.47%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.7K MX$356.0K

-15.25%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.4K MX$349.8K

29.99%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$56.1 MX$964

49.06%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$19.77 MX$339

-52.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$28.15 MX$483

-14.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$65.9 MX$1,131

-61.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$16.01 MX$275

19.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.22 MX$72.4

-2.84%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$312 COP 1.1M

$185 MX$3,169

68.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,774 MX$47.6K

116.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$43.66 MX$749

32.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$34.94 MX$600

-6.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$88.6 MX$1,521

12.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$57.0 MX$978

90.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$506 MX$8,684

-4.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$339 MX$5,812

12.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,029 MX$17.7K

-18.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$632 MX$10.8K

14.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,422 MX$24.4K

99.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$729 MX$12.5K

67.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$678 MX$11.6K

-20.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.33

18.53%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ensenada: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $506 in Ensenada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ensenada pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $31.00 in Ensenada. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $223, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Ensenada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Ensenada differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $1,032 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ensenada earns 25% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $506 in Ensenada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Ensenada. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,032 in Ensenada – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,032 in Ensenada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ensenada. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ensenada are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Ensenada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.